Prince of Darkness
by Pakari Yacer
Summary: 5 years later, Link has done what he thought he never could. He's settled down, and is master to a pair of apprentices, Colin the blademaster's son, and Rone, an adopted Gerudo orphan. But fate, as it always does, has other plans for the Hero of Light. Twilight has fallen to an unexpected force, and the world of Light will be next. Darkness falls, and will the Light be ready?
1. Chapter 1

Strike.

Block, step, parry, dodge.

Strike, parry, step.

Rone Soᾖu almost forgot to breathe. He barely sidestepped Colin's thrust, swinging his shaped piece of oak at his opponent's exposed back, but the blonde youth was fast, spinning back. The practice sword whistled through the empty air, but Rone used the momentum to spin the hefty piece of wood up into a ready position. He narrowed his golden eyes, blowing red hair out of his face.

The pair of them danced back in forth in the peaceful clearing, the clear shouts of their master mixing with their grunts and the whacks of their wooden blades to make a clamorous symphony in the still morning. Their master shouted his wordless commands to his opponent, keeping Rone on the defensive, his larger blade a disadvantage to Colin's quicker strikes. Their master gave a final shout, signaling time to begin freespar. _Finally_! Rone rushed to the offensive, which he was particularly fond of. Colin began to back up under the onslaught, Rone's reach giving him a decided advantage.

Suddenly Colin rushed forward after a particularly heavy stroke, and his length of wood made contact with Rone's leg. Sharp pain arched up the limb, but Rone gritted his teeth and moved to lock their swords together. The strike succeeded, forcing Colin to keep his blade steady against Rone's strength. Rone grinned, sharp canines bared in a predatory smile, and began to push him backwards. Colin grinned back, his general attitude of meekness temporarily driven away, his blue eyes flashing in competition.

Rone saw movement in the corner of his eye. He glanced over, but that was just enough time for Colin's foot to hook behind his, sending them both to the ground in a tumble. The wrestled over their weapons for a second before their master called for the end of session. They stood, both out of breath, weapons dangling from their exhausted hands, wide grins on both faces. They were approximately the same height, but very different in appearance. Rone was a dark Gerudo, with elegant sharp features, red hair and golden eyes, while Colin was just about as fair as fair could get. He was a human, with blonde hair and blue eyes, and while shy, had an easy smile.

Their master stood from his position. He was a tall Hylian, pointed ears poking from beneath long spiky brown hair, bright blue eyes shining in amusement. His head was bare of the pointed cap he was fond of. He wore a plain green tunic, accentuated with light leather armor, his signal necklace hanging around his neck. The pair of apprentices approached him with questions pouring out of their mouths.

"Master Link, how did I do with my parrying?

"Master, did you notice how I blocked his heavy strokes?"

"Was that cheating, what he did?

As usual, their master was silent. He never spoke. Nobody knew why, it seemed he was just that way. He grunted at Rone, grasping the red bead on the necklace, and pointed at the grass where he had fallen.

"Over there? Why did I fall?" Link smiled and nodded.

Rone looked down, embarrassed. "I got distracted. I thought I saw something." Link nodded again. He barked a shout. Both of them paused, confused at the order to stand at attention. But they both obeyed, practice swords held at full guard, heads up. The Hylian shouted again, and Rone and Colin turned sharply, mouths open in surprise to see Ilia walking towards them, a small basket in hand and a smile on her face. Her bright green eyes shone from under shoulder-length sandy blonde hair, framing delicate features.

"Mistress Ilia! How did you find us out here?"

She laughed at their expressions and exclaimed, "Well, it wasn't exactly hard! You boys clanking and shouting around makes enough noise that Queen Zelda herself can probably hear you." Link laughed at that, the sound echoing around the clearing. "I brought you all something to eat, I can only guess how hungry training under such a hard master can make you." She stated with a wry smile directed at Link, who rolled his eyes before bowing, hand on the bright green bead in the center of the necklace.

"Oh, Miss Ilia, you have no idea." Colin said with wide eyes as he looked anxiously at the short girl's gift. Rone was silent, as he usually was around members of the opposite gender, but he looked up to and respected Ilia.

She was the daughter of the Mayor in the small village or Ordon, and was a good six years older than Rone and Colin, and a little younger than Link himself. They had a close relationship, but some, like Colin's father Rusl, had stopped hoping for a commitment long ago.

Rone moved to devour the contents of the basket, but he and Colin stopped and looked to their master. Link smiled approvingly and grunted in the affirmative as Rone and Colin approached the small basket eagerly after thanking Ilia. Link approached Ilia as well, a soft smile on his face, but was surprised by her reaching up to embrace him. She barely reached up to his shoulder. He had grown some since his return to Ordon.

She leaned back, her hands on his shoulders and whispered with a serious expression, "You and I have important matters to discuss." Rone saw Link's eyes widen in an expression of horror, but that did nothing to stop her from taking their master's hand and dragged him from the clearing. Before he could get out a shout for help, she called back, "Now you boys enjoy your lunch, I have to talk to Link about… things!"

Rone and Colin nodded absent-mindedly as they were in the middle of devouring two rather large sandwiches. Link stared longingly at the meal before he passed out of sight.

"I wonder what they have to talk about." Colin said thoughtfully through a mouthful of food. Rone shrugged. They could be getting married for all Rone cared, this sandwich was delicious and demanded immediate attention.

"Master did have a funny look on his face, though." Rone noted, and Colin snickered and choked on his food. Rone laughed out loud and pounded his friend on the back. Colin was usually the reserved one in public, but they had been close friends for four years, and made no pretense of politeness. Ever since master Link had brought him to Ordon, Rone had been adopted by all the citizens of Ordon. Most considered him something like Link's son. Rone still was not used to it.

Colin finally cleared his throat, but couldn't help laughing again, bringing on another bout of coughing from Colin and laughter from Rone. "C'mon man, I don't want to bring you back to your mother dead! That wouldn't make Master look good."

Colin wheezed under his breath, "I would think it would be Miss Ilia's fault, she totally poisoned these sandwiches." As his friend recovered, Rone rubbed his stubble thoughtfully. He had finished his own meal. He stated confidently, putting a single finger in the air and imitating Colin's educated accent, "Well, apparently she forgot that I am a Gerudo, thus immune to _any_ such poisons concocted by human women."

Colin laughed harder. "Rone, stop it! I thought you said you didn't want me dead and here you are, killing me with words!" Rone chuckled darkly but subsided. He leaned back against a tree, watching with amusement as Colin gasped for breath, but his thoughts quickly turned serious, golden eyes looking downward.

Sometimes during practice sessions, he could feel the natural fears rising within him as he associated with the people of Light in Hyrule. His natural darkness wanted to fight, or at the least shy away from them. His people, the Gerudo, were not accepted in the wetlands. But he had almost overcome such fears, mostly because of the way Master Link had treated him. Like an equal. Like a son. Like something that mattered.

Master Link was even Hylian, for Ordon's sake, and the Hero of Light, to boot! He looked to Colin, the blonde boy finally regaining his breath and turning to him with a smile, blue eyes shining with mirth. Colin was his best friend. Besides Master Link, he had been the first. The people of this village treated him far better than any he had called blood. It was still odd, being treated as an equal. Almost as odd as seeing so much water, that it actually _flowed_.

"Hey! Rone! Colin! Found you!" Simultaneously, Rone rolled his eyes and Colin sighed in exasperation. Colin's little sister Tali skipped into the clearing, blonde braids bouncing on her shoulders.

"Tali, mother said not to walk through Faron alone! You know better!" The small four-year-old was not dissuaded. She ran to hug her older brother, and Colin reluctantly drew her close. She was dressed in a simple one-piece cloth dress, yellow flowers in her hair. She wiggled away.

"I wasn't alone! I followed Miss Ilia! And besides, I didn't walk, I skipped and sneaked all the way here!" She smiled, her light blue eyes shining. She turned to Rone and grabbed his hand, her small white fingers disappearing in his.

"She didn't even notice me! The entire way, I sneaked like you taught me to! Aren't you proud?" Rone's eyes widened in surprise. He had given her instructions to move stealthily, but he didn't think she would actually use them!

He nodded quietly as Colin stood. "Ok, maybe Mistress Ilia didn't notice you, but what if a Bokoblin caught you? No amount of sneaking could save you then!"

Tali crossed her arms and stuck out her bottom lip. "Could too!"

Colin narrowed his eyes determinedly. "No, it wouldn't. Don't you remember Talo's story, how he got caught by the Bokoblins?"

"Then Master Link saved him!" She replied rebelliously. Colin rolled his eyes, and Rone could see him activating his stubborn patience. They would be here a long time. Rone stood while the argument commenced, and looked at small arrangement of weapons that Link had brought. He briefly considered the wide-bladed sword he was fond of, but decided on a long knife with a curved blade, instead. He strapped the knife to his belt and strode away unnoticed.

While he enjoyed the Ordonians' company, he still savored the times when he could be alone. A leftover from his refugee days, he supposed. Rone walked through the peaceful woods, listening to the small sounds all around him. He knew most of these woods, and unlike Colin, he was not afraid to face a bokoblin. He walked up a small hill, the grass making little sound under his feet. He looked around and hidden behind the trunk of a large tree, he saw something… unusual. He approached it cautiously.

A small stone pedestal, no higher than his knee, rose above the grass. It was a different color than the gray rock around here, almost a shade of purple. It had ancient-looking runes on the sides, but the top was unmarked but for the faint outline of a red handprint. He looked at his own hand, a smile growing.

So what if it might be a trap? He was fast. Fast enough. He placed his hand over the handprint. The runes erupted in red light, and Rone found that he was not fast enough. The ground collapsed underneath him, and he fell down onto bare stone. He landed roughly, gasping in pain as he felt his ankle twist. He went down to his hands and knees. He breathed heavily as adrenaline rushed, too late, through his body. He looked around. He was in a small square room. Above him the light continued to shine, farther than he could jump. To his left was a square doorway.

He mentally searched his options. He was too far away for anyone to hear him. He could not jump that high, nor was there anything he could climb on. The stone on the walls was obviously worked; it was far too clear cut to be natural. Just then the trapdoor slammed closed with a bang, cutting off the sunlight as if it had never been. Rone mentally cursed the darkness, but then realized that it was not entirely pitch black. A dim red light shone out from the doorway. The open doorway seemed to beckon to him. Realizing he had no other options, he entered it, limping. He drew his knife carefully. One never knew what you might find in a cave. He advanced silently down the stone hallway, his padded shoes making almost no sound. There were several other room, each as empty as the last. All were dimly lit by the ambient red light. He rounded a corner and a different sight met him.

A spacious room stretched out before him, so large he could not see the ceiling or opposite wall. But his eyes were drawn to what was in the center of the room. Set into the rock as if it had been used to impale the earth itself, stood a sword. It gleamed in the dim red light, made of the same dark purplish rock as the pedestal had been. It was large, four feet long and the blade was a handspan wide. It did not have a crossguard, and it was slightly curved on one edge. Strung from the hilt were small chains, several dozen of them, with ancient pieces of paper inscribed with runes. Each chain was nailed to the floor with an iron spike, in concentric circles.

"Awesome." Rone grinned as he carefully approached the outer ring of chains. He could feel something… familiar, here. It seemed to call him, drawing him in. It was the sword. It was full of dark power. He could feel it. Then a rational thought called out to him. _What would Master Link do if he were with me?_ He would probably express caution. Rone thought wryly.

 _But what if Link was_ in _my position?_ That answer did not come quite as fast. Master Link had used the power given him to do good in the world. He had also taught Rone to stand honorably.

On the other hand, the only thing his father had taught him was that only the weak feared power. If he had this sword, the people of Hyrule would respect the honor that he, Colin, and Master Link stood for. He could use this power to do good. He _would_.

It was simple. He stepped into the innermost ring of chains and grasped the two-handed haft with his right hand.

Several things happened. Rone was frozen. He was utterly unable to move. Fiendish runes exploded with red fire along the flat edges of the blade, and soon spread to the chains, and the papers on them flared as the fire incinerated them and thick chains instantly. Then his mind was assaulted. A huge dark power overshadowed him, and he could feel it raging inside his head, a surge of anger and power. Just as suddenly as it appeared, it calmed. Then it spoke to him.

"Hello, child of darkness." Rone reeled as if struck, he could feel the impact he made with the ground, but there was no pain. The voice echoed through every fiber of his being, and he could feel the darkness in his blood responding, pulsing through his blood.

"There is no better servant for me than you. The foolish creatures that worship me are weak, but in the hands of one such as you… Here is my proposition, boy. You serve me. I grant you power. How does that sound?" Rone struggled even to breath, but he had enough strength to be offended.

 _"_ _Sounds like a bad deal to me."_ He thought in return. The dark power paused. Rone could feel its amusement.

"Oh? You have another idea, Child?" Rone gritted his teeth and summoned all of the mental strength he had.

" _You. Serve. Me."_ His thoughts reverberated throughout his mind, throwing back the dark being. _"I will serve the Light with this power. And you will not be able to stop me."_ The presence paused.

"Your blood has strength. Serving light with darkness… interesting. I will serve you, for now. If you call me, I will come. Farewell, child of darkness."

All of a sudden, Rone was back to himself. He took a shuddering deep breath. The presence was gone. No, it had retreated. He looked around for the sword, but instead on his hand was a sleek metal gauntlet, with short bladed spikes on the knuckles. It reflected purplish-black and it shone with red runes that faded slowly as he looked at them. He thought about the sword, and imagined it in his hand. It appeared as if drawn from a burning sheath of red mist, the symbols blazing. He willed it to disappear. It did so instantly. He smiled slowly.

The entire cavern shook.


	2. Chapter 2

Link

Link turned to follow Ilia as she guided him, forging a path deeper into the forest. Despite her grace and appearance, Ilia was not a delicate girl. While Ordon was not poor, it was not abounding in wealth either, and when they were both young she had done just as much work as the other children. Possibly more, considering that her mother had died when she was small.

She led him to a small streambank, and they sat down on a fallen log, the vibrant green of the moss gleaming in the sparse sunbeams that pierced the canopy. The air was cool, the leaves on the trees just beginning to turn. Winter was coming. Ilia turned to face Link, emerald green and cobalt blue meeting uncertainly. Link sighed and turned away, and Ilia leaned in and placed her hand on his knee.

"I'm sorry to take you away from your training, but I can't bear it any longer!" Link looked back at her and blinked in surprise, questions in his eyes, but they faded as he saw the pain in hers. "I just wanted to talk to you about…" Her eyes left his, and she searched for the right word. She seemed to find the one she was looking for. She looked back to him, eyes narrowed in determination. She stated softly. "Us." Link looked up to her, his face grim. Her expression fell, and she dropped her gaze.

"Oh, Link. I don't know what to say. I know you don't want to talk about it… I thought and thought about what I would say…" She reached up and with a hand covered the tears that had begun to gather, Link sighed and his expression softened, and he took her other hand in his. She continued, voice fervent, willing herself to speak through her tears.

"Ever since you stopped the Dark Lord, you haven't been the same! You came back with that woman from Twilight, and I-" She stopped cold. Link bent to catch her eyes, and she averted hers. There was a pause.

"I know you loved her." She stated finally, voice steady.

Midna. The Twilight Princess. Link tried not to dwell on thoughts of her, but he knew he would never forget that strange girl. He fingered his necklace, but he had taken the emerald bead off years ago. Memories came back, thoughts about those days not too far past, when it had been only he and Midna facing the powers of darkness. While they had not always gotten along, there at the end he had been willing to sacrifice his life for her. No, he would never forget Midna.

Ilia spoke again. "But… she is gone." Link shut his eyes as more memories returned of the day when a mirror had shattered, glass mixing with the pieces of his heart. She had abandoned him. He had forgiven her long ago, but the memories still pained him.

Ilia continued. "But when you fought to restore my memory to me, in those days when I knew you as nothing more than a kind young man…" Link almost shivered at the memory of when he had looked to the face of his oldest friend, and in Ilia's gaze Link had seen something utterly alien in those eyes. Unrecognition. He had been forgotten.

Her voice grew stronger, and he met her eyes again, shining with tears but narrowed in resolve to bear her feeling. "Those were the days here you showed me, proved to me, that you loved Ilia. Not Ilia, the mayor's daughter, not Ilia, the girl who had forgotten who she was. But Ilia," She reached out and took his hand in both of hers. "Somebody worth sacrificing for." He gazed deep into those emerald eyes, her heart bared before him. He had planned to do this later, but he supposed now would do. He didn't make a single noise or indication. Ilia wiped the tears from her eyes, but stated simply.

"I love you, Link." He looked back at her, not showing any surprise. They sat there, the long moment of silence only broken by the gurgling stream and the songs of birds.

"Aren't you going to nod… or _grunt,_ or something?" She asked, with a hint of frustration in her voice. He looked to her, stood up, and knelt on one knee. Her breath caught in her throat. He pulled out a small polished metal box, and opened it without a sound. Her eyes flashed in surprise. Within lay a simple band of gold, a small diamond set into the center, flanked by two smaller uncut emeralds. Her hand flew to her mouth and she looked like she would fall off the log in shock.

"Link!? Is that… is that…" He nodded, smile growing. It was replaced by a look of surprise as Ilia stumbled to kneel beside him, throwing her arms around his neck, and burying her head in his wide chest. He hesitantly set the box on the ground, and put his arms around her, drawing her in. She was warm. She turned her head, shoulders heaving quietly. He held her for long seconds before she spoke again. "Yes, Link. Yes."

 **RONE**

Rone stumbled through the twisting passageways, the only light coming from the occasional glowing mushroom on the walls and glimpses of bokoblin torches that he deftly avoided. His hand pulsed where the dark gauntlet gripped him, fear pounding through his veins. He had meddled with darkness and paid the price, and now he simply hoped to survive his foolishness. Tremors still struck the cavers, rocks and dust falling from the ceiling as he searched for a way out. The bokoblins were on the rampage, Rone thinking that he had stolen the object of their worship, and it was getting harder and harder to evade them.

There, ahead. Light. He raced towards the narrow exit dodging rock outcrops and tree roots. He burst out of the narrow cave, and drew his dagger, favoring his good leg. No hostiles. He recognized the hills in the distance and the massive southern mountains, and immediately began running back to Ordon. It wasn't long before he heard shouts and the crash of blades. And a high-pitched scream.

Tali. He forced his weakened body to run faster, tree branches whipping into him as he crashed through the undergrowth, alarms flashing through his mind. He broke into the clearing, eyes flashing around the area to gain information. Colin was at the far end of the clearing, desperately holding off three ugly blue-skinned creatures. The flat-faced bokoblins swung their rough blades clumsily and wore no armor, but they had advantage in numbers.

"Where's Tali!?" Rone shouted as he ran to help his friend.

"Rone!" Colin looked to him in surprise, but was forced to dodge a series of irregular swings. "Over there!" Colin slashed down an opponent, and pointed his weapon to Rone's right. He turned his head, red hair whipping, as his golden eyes caught the tail end of the small band of bokoblins, one of them hefting a sack.

"I got her, you stay alive!" Rone shouted as he sprinted after them. He didn't have enough time to grab a better weapon, so he gripped the long knife. He closed the gap on the slow creatures swiftly, but two of their number broke off to content with him, Tali's muffled screams still emerging from the bag carried by the retreating company. Rone could see where they were headed. Emerging from the grassy ground was a koblin warren, the disguised entrance open. Rone knew that if they made it in there with Tali, she was as good as cooked and eaten. Nobody was dumb enough to fight Bokoblin gangs underground.

The first approached him with triangular blade raised, a foul screech coming from between its cracked teeth. He didn't stop and dove into the strike, trusting his timing. He guessed correctly, and his knife took the creature in the throat as its blade descended behind him. He threw off the choking monster, trying to ignore the foul purple blood staining his clothing. The second did not wait for him to get untangled, and leaped in with the same overhand strike as the first. He blocked roughly, his smaller blade twisting the strike away from him. The blade still sliced a gash on his arm, further staining his light tunic. He gasped in pain, but spun around and drove the point of his knife into the bokoblins ribs. He did not wait to check if it survived, again taking off after the retreating group.

They had gained much ground. But he could not give up. He forced his muscles into a frantic beat, his leg paining him with every step, his arm throbbing violently. Another koblin turned to engage him, and Rone's face twisted in anguish as he realized he would not make it in time. Against his will his legs slowed, and his eyes began to dull with pain and exhaustion. He tripped and landed hard, his knife bouncing from his grasp. He looked up through blurry eyes. He saw the lead bokoblin strike the moving bag with the haft of his weapon, and the strugglings ceased.

"NO! Tali!" He screamed in desperation. He had to do something, anything, but what!? He raised himself off the ground, muscles screaming, then fell back to the ground. Why was he so tired? The blade, he realized. The blade had stolen his life energy.

"Forget something?" The dark voice stated wryly in his head.

" _No! You weakened me! I don't need your-"_ Rone stopped and realized something.

Because he had not stayed in the clearing, Tali would die. And because he had failed, _he_ would die.

"Use my power, Son of Darkness. Take vengeance on your enemies." Rone's eyes narrowed as the approaching koblin raised its blade to remove his head from his body. He would not fail again. Rone would not fail his family. He couldn't.

" _Yes."_

"As you wish." A flood of power surged through his veins, and his eyes were sharpened. His pain faded, and in his left hand the great black sword appeared. He leapt to his feet, the single koblin falling effortlessly before him, and he dashed towards the open warren. Darkness spread around the edges of his vision, and all of a sudden the surrounding trees and rocks began to blur around him. He moved faster than he had ever imagined he could, adrenaline rushing in his mind, beating in time to his thundering heart.

He was soon right behind them. He jumped into the air with a shout, bringing his sword down on the nearest monster, black energy streaming from the blade. It fell without a sound, and he swung the blade around him, beheading two more koblins. He felt invincible. The leader dropped the bag, dull eyes wide in astonishment, and swung his weapon in a sideways swing. The large sword felt weightless as he raised it to block the attack, and the rough iron of the homemade weapon shattered as it struck the bar of darkness. Rone cut down the koblin, and reached down to open the bag.

Red-stained blonde curls were the first thing he saw. His eyes widened in horror and he frantically tore open the bag, the darkness fading from his mind, leaving only energy behind. The small girl lay, unmoving, but breathing. The only visible wound was on the crown of her head. It bled profusely, but it was not deep. Tali would live, and Rone breathed a sigh in relief. He had been forced to use the dark power. _But that doesn't matter_ , he thought to himself as he pulled the small girl close to him. Tali would live. Then he heard familiar shouts. Master Link.


	3. Chapter 3

Link

They eventually broke apart, and just sat cross-legged on the ground, hands entwined. Ilia had placed the ring on her finger, and contrary to Links fears, it had fit. She gazed at it in wonder, as if it were an illusion that would disappear any second. On his own finger lay its partner, a small gold band, to remind him of his promise. Their peace was broken by distant shouts. Links ears perked up.

"Is that… Colin?" Ilia turned her head back the way they had come, her voice uncertain. Link nodded, standing carefully, letting go of her hand. He listened intently. She tried to speak again, expression concerned, but he held a hand up to silence her. His ears continued to twitch, and he closed his eyes. Ilia was mildly shocked when Link grabbed her hand, hauled her to her feet and took off running through the forest.

"Link! What are-" Her voice was drowned out by the chatters and howls of Bokoblin. She looked behind them, her protests silenced at the sight of dozens of the creatures pursuing them. They stampeded through the forest after them, a wall of blue-skinned beasts, screaming and hollering after them, obviously angry at having lost their quarry. Link thought quickly as he ran, easier now that Ilia was keeping up with him. He let her pass him up as he drew his sword, the fine Ordon steel shining in the afternoon light. He couldn't fight them all and protect her at the same time. Link knew that Koblins were not very fast, they could be outrun easily, but this group was large and seemed determined to catch them. They soon left the shambling creatures behind, but they were definitely still in pursuit. To the village, then. They could run ahead and warn the townspeople, and they could prepare for defense while Link, Colin, Rone, and Rusl held them off.

They arrived at the clearing to see Colin yelling in anger while he fought multiple bokoblin at the same time, several dead at his feet. While still short for his age, the youth was fast; his thin blade flashed faster than the slow monsters could defend against. Link shouted to Colin as he entered the fray, his own blade bringing down the weak creatures with single strikes.

"They took Tali! Rone went after them!" Colin shouted in reply, tears streaming from his narrowed blue eyes.

"Tali!? What was she doing here!? I told her not to come!" Ilia shouted back at him, as she picked up one of the swords Link had brought and settled in the basic stance that Link had taught her. Soon her careful, graceful attacks began to send foes to the ground. She was not a master and did not want to be, but could handle herself against these weak enemies. Link moved near her protectively, but gave her enough room to strike. Soon the immediate clearing was free of enemies and Link grunted at Colin to stay behind with Ilia, and he moved to follow the direction that Rone had gone, when all of sudden the Gerudo entered the clearing.

Link's eyes widened at the sight. His light clothing were stained with purple and red blood, his eyes drawn and haggard as if he had aged years in less than an hour. He carried no weapons, and on his left hand was a sleek metal gauntlet. In his arms he carried something small, with a shock of blonde hair.

"TALI!" Colin shouted as he ran to his friend. Rone handed the small girl to her brother, and Colin moved to check her pulse.

"I already looked, she's all right for now."

Colin heaved a sigh of relief. "What happened to-" He began to ask, but they all turned in response to a load roar in the distance. Link grunted briskly, and they all turned and ran in the direction of Ordon.

 **Rone**

"Come get your weapons here!" Jaggle called loudly, pointedly ignoring the fact that basically everyone besides himself had already armed themselves. When they had entered the town their news had first caused chaos, until Mayor Bo had intervened. Rone's ears still rang. He hadn't known the normally soft-spoken man even _could_ yell.

Weapons had been supplied by Bo, Link, and Rusl, and most of the citizens had volunteered to fight, more than Rone had expected. He stood next to Talo. The youth had not gotten any taller than his father, but he was now at least twice as massive as Colin's slight figure. But despite this, his thick frame shuddered, whether in fear or excitement, Rone could not tell. His makeshift armor was slightly too small for him, a chainmail cap hanging loosely on his head, and Rone wore the black leather armor that Link had bought for him. Colin, on the other side of the large boy, placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. Talo smiled a crooked grin to him gratefully, his breathing slowing slightly.

Colin spoke up, his soft voice at odds with his confident words. "Hey! Talo, it'll be all right, maybe Link, Rusl and Bo will take care of them all by themselves, and we won't even have to fight!"

"Yah, sure. Hopefully." Talo said nervously, nodding quickly, but Rone knew he wasn't convinced. His knuckles were white on his spear handle. Rone did not share his fear. They had twelve fighters, only five of them experienced, but Mayor Bo had been some kind of warrior before he settled down in Ordon, and Rusl was a former member of the Hylian Royal Guard.

And then there was Link. The Hero of Light, Slayer of the Demon Prince, Warrior of Hyrule. No. Rone wasn't afraid.

"-you, Rone?" Rone shook his head quickly and refocused. He was about to ask what Colin had said, when a shrill shriek erupted behind him. They all spun in unison, looking to the source of the cry, which had come from somewhere near the Mayor's large house. Across the small river, They could see Mistress Sera shaking her fist at her daughter Beth. The tall girl stood defiantly, an old longbow in hand, staring down her mother, strangely silent. Next to her stood Ilia, hiding her smile behind a hand. They were both dressed in leather armor.

Sera's shouts easily carried across the small town. "FOR THE LAST TIME, YOUNG LADY, FIGHTING IS NOT-" Rone winced as the shouting continued, the expression on Beth's face becoming more and more severe. This was going to be nasty. Sera's shouting escalated in pitch and intensity, until her face, fairly steaming with indignation, fell silent. As she caught her breath, Beth took full advantage of the gap in her tirade. She planted hands on hips, and looked at her mother from under lowered brows.

"So you just expect me to wait with the others and die!? If they fail, we are _ALL going to die,_ mother! I WILL NOT just politely sit and wait for a koblin to eat me and Tali!" She stepped up and shoved her finger in between her mother's wide eyes. "You can be a wimp and cower in the house, mother, but I will fight whether you want me to or not!"

Sera, taken aback, searched desperately for words. Her flopping mouth reminded Rone of a hooked greengill. Their attention was diverted by Link, Rusl, and Mayor Bo rushing towards the hastily erected barricades they had prepared. Link cleared the logs and wagons with a simple jump, while the others had to climb over, Mayor Bo huffing for breath, his heavy armor slowing him drastically. He held a strange spear with a long, curved blade, but he held it like a quarterstaff. Rusl was dressed lightly, preferring speed over power, and Link was wearing a light suit of leather armor, his bright blue shield shining with the sigil of Hyrule on its face.

"We couldn't hold them, there were too many!" Rusl called out.

Bo boomed right after him "Take defensive positions, and don't break formation!" Activity exploded after a surprised second. The wives of the men gathered what they had been working on and retreated to the Mayors large house. They were led by Colin's mother Uli, who was carrying the still-unconscious Tali in her arms. The men hastily grabbed weapons and ran to the barricades, near where Rone and Colin stood, Link and Bo taking positions in between the two barriers. Colin and Talo ran to join them, and Rone followed them, lifting his broadsword and shield. He was determined not to use the dark power again. _Unless something crazy happens, of course,_ he thought to himself. He glanced back to the girls.

They were striding to the barricades; Beth with an excited smile on her face, but Ilia was composed and determined. She held Link's longbow, elegant and powerful in her slim hands. She had been training long and hard to be able to use that unique weapon. It was uncannily accurate even in the hands of a novice, but great strength was required to use it and mastery was difficult to achieve. She carried it proudly. They stood on the slight rise next to Beth's own house, and readied themselves.

Rone found himself beside Colin and Jaggle, the short man holding his spear nervously. Finally everyone got into position, spears interspersed with the swordsmen, shields raised and ready, and silence fell save for nervous breaths and the clanking of rusty armor. Then sound. The sound of feet reached them first. A dull thundering on compact soil. Many. Then the gibbers and shrieks, rising in volume until they echoed down the small valley leading to Links house.

Rone gritted his teeth, and he could feel the others tense around him. Then came…. monkeys!? The entire troupe of Faron Woods monkeys bounded around the corner, jabbering and screeching in panic, led by their grey-furred leader. They caught sight of the defenders, but did not stop their advance. Rone had known these monkeys almost the day he had reached Ordon, they were no threat, and Talo even laughed and hooted out a greeting.

The entire group of villagers stood in shock, but made no move to stop them as the monkeys dove over the barricades and continued to retreat behind the armored line. Rone and Colin looked at each other, grinning, and chuckles sprang up throughout the line. But Link did not smile, and his eyes never departed from the valley entrance. He gave a shout of alarm, and they turned just in time.

A wall of dull blue came around the bend, utterly disorganized and chaotic. The roar of dozens of chittering beasts and the clanging of blades reached their ears. Seeing the prepared defenders, the front line hesitated in fear before their fellows drove them onward. Link rose and shouted, clearly heard over the mess of noise, lifting his sword into the air. The villagers roared back, and Rone felt the hair on the back of his neck rise. He smiled, sharp teeth bared as he lifted his sword high as his guttural scream joined the others. Ilia and Beth fired into the mass of enemies, bringing two down. And suddenly they were upon them. Next to Rone, Jaggle lunged with his spear, impaling a screaming koblin, and Rone slashed outward, cutting the next down easily. He lifted it again, and leaving the shield hanging on his arm, wielded the large weapon two handed. The gauntlet on his hand vibrated as he struck down another koblin, and Rone tried his hardest to ignore the whisperings in his head.

Rone eventually decided that the formation was a good idea. They easily defended against the disorganized koblins, the simple barricade pushing the monsters into the blades of the waiting villagers. Link was at the front of the spearhead, his gleaming sword sending every koblin it touched to the ground. Had they attacked all in an organized rush, they might have overwhelmed the outnumbered defenders. But they were blue koblins. They didn't have enough intelligence to know a rock from a tree.

They fought on, the flow of koblins not slowing. Suddenly someone cried out in pain. Rone glanced over to the right side of the line to see Fado reeling back, a red stain spreading on his shoulder. Bo shouted in anger, and stepped to fill the line, spinning his curved spear with surprising dexterity. He slashed away the koblins that had wounded Fado with vehemence.

"THIS IS MY VILLAGE!" He hollered and swung his armored fist into the approaching enemies, flinging several backwards. He stepped in front of the line, and the fighters around him backed away as his whirling staff sent koblin after koblin to the ground. The creatures began to retreat before his ferocity. Rone shuffled with the rest of them as they moved to fill the gap that Fado had left, staying on the defensive. Beth had dropped her bow, helping the wounded rancher to get behind the defenses, and began checking his wound.

His attention was ripped back to the line as a group of koblins with red skin charged their position with renewed ferocity, spittle falling from their gaping jaws. One was taken in the forehead by Ilia's arrow, and Colin and Rone defended Jaggle furiously. One of the dirty creatures dodged Rone's blow with unexpected speed and leapt, grabbing the youth around the neck, sword raised. Rone was brought to the ground, teeth gritted in pain and punched the koblin in its ugly face. It growled and only tightened its grip, raising its sword high. Others poured in the gap they had made, Colin and Jaggle trying their hardest not to let them through. Rone gasped in pain and let go of his sword, using the gauntleted hand to drag the koblins hand away from his throat. It swung down, and he wrenched his head to the side as the length of rough iron cut into the grass next to his head. Rone gasped in surprise. No energy! The darkness did not come! The koblin shrieked in surprise to see the dark artifact, and it tightened its bony grip further, pulling its sword out of the ground again. Rone's eyes were going blurry, and he could feel himself weakening. He had no choice.

 _"Give it to me."_

He slammed the gauntlet into the monsters own throat, and squeezed with all of his might. Power flooded the muscles of his left arm, the gauntlet streaming red energy. The creature's eyes bugged out, and then it was over. There had been less resistance than a rotten fruit. He could hear Master Link's shouts, and could dimly see dark figures above him struggling.

 _"Your friends are going to die, boy. What are you going to do about it?"_ Rone shuddered as power surged through his veins, and his vision went red.

 _"_ _I will defend them_."


	4. Chapter 4

Link

Link turned just in time to see Rone go down, koblins streaming through the gap, Colin and Jaggle fighting for their lives. His eyes narrowed. Colin and Rone meant more to him than life itself. Link slashed through two of the weak creatures with a single strike, then shouted at Rusl to take his place. Stepping over koblin corpses, he advanced down the left side of the line, no creature standing before him.

His instincts surged. He turned towards the valley entrance to see a massive figure step through. It was over twice as tall as Link, a hugely muscled behemoth of a Koblin, veins pulsing under the red skin. Steam blew from its snout, dull-minded hate burning in its eyes, and it raised a huge club with a stone head. The villagers shouted in dismay at the sight of the beast, and Link changed his stance to fight the larger creature, but before he could strike, an arrow took the beast in the shoulder. Ilia. The beast roared in pain and charged. Link ducked under its first blow, slicing into the thick skin of its leg and rolling away from it, but was set upon by a trio of smaller koblins. But it didn't pursue Link. It headed straight for the center of the line. Another arrow sprouted from its right arm, and it roared again.

Bo bellowed a challenge at the hulking beast, and they collided, fist in hands, the smaller human pushed back before its size. But he was not pushed down. The large man returned the beings exclamation of surprise with a punch to the knee, and the creature howled. In a rage, it slammed its long arms into Bo, sending him flying. Talo bravely stabbed the monster in the thigh with his spear. The monster grabbed him and threw him into the natural rock walls surrounding the village. He tumbled to the ground, limp, and did not rise. His father, Jaggle, shouted in anger, and fiercely defended the fallen Rone.

Link finished off the koblins facing him easily, and turned to see the line in tatters, the villagers retreating before the giant koblin, struggling to fend off the remaining enemies. The large monster swept Rusl and Colin aside, blood streaming from its arms in exchange. A smaller koblin lifted its sword to finish off Colin, who looked unconscious. An arrow took it in the chest, felling it. Link felt pride rise in his heart. Ilia was standing firm. He wasn't the only one who noticed. The giant koblin fixed Ilia with its brutish eyes. It And there was nothing in its way.

Link shouted in panic as he broke into a sprint, and Ilia saw the monster looking towards her, and raised the bow again, arrow ready. As it broke into a shambling run, Link leaped over two koblins in his way, racing as fast as he could to reach her. He was too late. The giant swung his club, and she ducked cleanly under the blow, the massive weapon smashing into the side of Beth's house, breaking an entire wall with a crash of snapping wood. Ilia drew back her bow again, and this time the arrow grazed the beast's neck, drawing a line of purple blood. It roared, and kicked out at her. It caught her in the shoulder, and Ilia was thrown into the air, landing with a cry of pain. Link shouted in anger as it raised its club with a ghoulish smile. To end her. As Link raised his sword, a beam of light caught his eye. It came from Ilia's finger.

It swung its club in a sweeping blow that Ilia could not dodge. He didn't have time for anything elaborate, so Link jumped in front of her. Time seemed to slow as he caught the blow on his shield. The haft of the club cracked, splinters the size of fingers exploding outward, and a terrible force sent a shockwave of pain through his arms. He slammed headfirst into the ground, sword and shield flying from his grasp, gasping in pain. He heard the beast roaring in agony, as if from a great distance. Link rested facedown, desperately heaving breaths that would not come.

Everything seemed to darken, and he could feel warm liquid streaming down his face and arms. As the black closed around him, the last things Link saw were Ilia shouting desperately, eyes shining and Rone, holding up a great black sword dripping with darkness, cutting down enemies as he advanced to the giant. Wherever he had received that power, it was up to him now. Link's fight was over. He smiled at Ilia and opened his mouth as if to say something. But nothing came.

…

 _Link was soaring in the sky. Not the sky he was used to, but he recognized it all the same. Ominous black clouds under a ghostly yellow expanse, spreading to the horizon, just enough light to see. The Twilight Realm._

 _He looked down at himself. He held a ghostly form that he could see through, clothed in the garb of the Hero. Had he died? He shook his head and did not let it worry him. Either he was dead or he wasn't. He sank under the clouds and caught sight of massive black shapes. As he drew closer he could tell that these were not the floating black fortresses that he knew. They were great ships, sailless and sleek, dozens of them, each larger than the entirety of Ordon Village. They bore symbols and streaks of red and orange light, some of which Link recognized, wrapping about and outlining the shapes of the great vessels. Link did not know what they were, but he knew what they meant. It meant invasion._

 _He had seen the like of this before, and he struggled to remember where, the red light and sleek shapes... it reminded him of the sword that Rone had wielded._

 _They were heading the same direction as he, his great speed taking him past them, quickly leaving the fleet of invaders behind. Soon he could make out the shapes of the familiar fortresses of Twilight, bars of clean blue light cutting through the dimness, pulsing in what seemed to be alarm. As he neared them, something unfamiliar met his gaze._

 _The fortresses were filled with activity, like a wasp nest that had just been kicked. The first time Link had come here, they had been almost empty of occupants. But as he approached he could see Twili soldiers hustling about, the smaller race of the creatures flowing about the tall and imperious higher race, commanding with regal authority, bearing elegant weapons and dark armor. Link realized what he had seen before had been a time of oppression and shame, a mere shadow of the realm of Twilight. But now they were a kingdom, reforged and powerful. He rushed onward, soaring to the greatest of the buildings, hurtling straight at the walls of black rock. He gritted his teeth and braced as best he could for impact, but there was none. He entered a great hall, with vast pillars supporting the high ceiling, reaching away into darkness. He looked down to see the leaders of Twilight, gathered around a glowing golden sphere. A Sol._

 _He could hear their raised voices._

 _"-said this would work!" One accused, a tall figure in black armor, his pale white face pinched in derision as he pointed a finger at a lower Twili who was fiddling with the golden orb nervously. Another spoke in a softer tone, a woman's voice he did not recognize._

 _"Calm yourself, Frilu. A Solspeak has not been attempted in my lifetime, and I'd like to see you do better."_

 _"We are wasting our time." A gruff voice stated. Link could not see his face. "Our people and realm is in danger, and we fool with artifacts of light? Darkness comes, and we must be ready." Link came to rest just above the floor in the darkness beyond the orbs light, and doors on the far end of the hall slammed open. Link's breath caught in his throat._

 _"Did I miss anything?"_

 _The Twilight Princess strode confidently towards the others of her race, the twin points of her crown of rock radiating authority. Midna entered the light of the Sol, illuminating her face. Alien yet beautiful, her skin was a pale blue, marked with a complex symbol tattooed in black ink on her forehead, the point of which hung between narrow orange eyes that pierced all of the circle in turn. She was very tall, towering over most of the other Twili, higher and lower. She wore form-fitting metal armor, mostly covered by her cloak of authority, which glowed with patterns of blue lines on the deepest black. Her orange hair was pulled back underneath the brim of the Fused Shadow, a remnant of the Old Magic that was her crown, her power, and her right._

 _She was accompanied by another figure. A warrior with dark hair pulled back in a tail, a similar tattoo to Midna's on his own head. He was a tall man with hard eyes the same color as Midna's, dark lips thinned in… could it be fear? He was dressed in ornate black armor, glyphs of green and blue light leaking from its crevices, a pair of swords rested on his back. A bodyguard? Midna did not see Link. Those gathered bowed to her solemnly. The woman spoke first._

 _"Brightness, your idea does not seem to be working, despite Ar Demi's attempts. We have been waiting for a quarter hour, and… I do not know if it will work."_

 _"Your Brightness, with all due respect, i believe that we should be focusing on more pressing concerns, rather than… superstitions." The tall man cut in. Midna replied calmly, with deliberation, but Link knew her. Her eyes held the same fear as the man beside her._

 _"We do not have time for debate, Master Frilu. Their force is great, and we are unprepared. If we do not win, the least we can do is warn the people of light. We owe them that much. What say you?" She addressed the question to the Twili engineer, who bowed with great anxiety. His small pale eyes looked up at her, and he took a cap off his head._

 _"Your Brightness, I have reason to believe that it has indeed worked… but the subject has not arrived, and I suppose that, well... I may have made a mistake in the calculations."_

 _"You have not made a mistake before, Master Demi." These came from the man at Midna's side, and she looked to him with a curious expression on her face. It was a mix of affection and respect, but her eyes carried mischief. He looked back to her, and Link realized what he was. The way he showed her respect was entirely different from the others, his manner like that… of a protective relative. A brother. He was her brother! The resemblance was clear now, the thin orange eyes, the facial shape, the shared glyph designs on their foreheads. She had never mentioned her family, only that the usurper known as Zant was a relative._

 _He continued. "I see no reason to say that you have made a mistake. This is beyond any of our knowledge, save you and my sister. We are grateful for your service." Midna nodded her agreement as the small Twili looked away, obviously embarrassed, then she continued._

 _"Now when he arrives, I will speak with him. Frilu, Dosta, go to the defense lines and take command there." The tall Twili and the woman bowed curtly and strode away, drawing their weapons, trying their best to look confident. "Rast, you take the reserves and guard the other Sol with your life. Take it away and flee, if you must. Master Demi will accompany you." The gruff warrior bowed and withdrew, calling orders as he went, the short Twili waddling quickly to keep up with him._

 _"Denti, Corew, guard this room and alert me if any come." They departed as well, leaving Midna alone with her brother. He looked to her, a slight smile tugging at his lips._

 _"Well done, Princess. We'll make a proper leader out of you yet."_

 _Midna took a deep breath of relief, visibly relaxing, then looked to him with raised eyebrows. "What is it, Rehgan? Spit it out. Are you saying I was something_ else _before I got myself kicked out of here?"_

 _He smiled and said without pause, "You were a spoiled brat." She giggled slyly, a childish sound that Link knew all too well. He continued. "But you are like our mother. I am glad to see that you have changed much because-" His words were interrupted as Link stepped into the circle of light given by the Sol._

 _Reghan exploded into action, jumping in front of Midna, curved swords drawn with a flash of green light. She gasped, orange eyes widening in shock, hand rising to her mouth. She visibly composed herself, and after a tense second, she finally spoke. "Well, look who finally decided to show up." She stated, unable to keep the smile from spreading on her lips. She anxiously stepped up to him. "Well, someone's grown." She said, looking him over. Link smiled. Now he was only_ half _a head shorter than her. She reached out hesitantly, as if to touch him, but dropped her hand, smile disappearing. Reghan cautiously sheathed his swords, but his eyes did not leave Link for a second._

 _"Ah. I believe intros are in order…" Midna stated, looking from one to the other. "Link, this is my bigger little brother, Reghan. Reghan, well…" She smiled and shrugged slightly. "You know all about Link." Link raised an eyebrow. She sighed in exasperation, rolling her eyes._

 _"Ok, I'm sorry I didn't tell you anything about my family! You never asked! Well, you never said_ anything _… My father's dead, mother's who-knows-where, and it's just Reghan and I left. Happy, now?"_

 _Link smiled and nodded, as Reghan looked on, looking awed and slightly befuddled. "He's the Hero of the World of Light?" Midna smiled a toothy grin. "The one that you said you-?"_

 _Midna cut him off hurriedly. "Yes yes yes! Unfortunately, we-"_

 _A great boom rumbled, the black stone floor quivering. Midna looked up, her expression becoming serious once again. She looked quickly back to Link, eyebrows drawing together in worry. "I wish we had more time to talk, but something bad is coming." Link nodded, face grim._

 _"You saw them? The forces of darkness are approaching." Link held a hand palm-up, indicating confusion. Midna sighed. "Yes, I suppose you don't know. I had barely learned about them myself." As she explained, she drew lines in the air made of green light, a circle divided into three sections, the lines coming to meet each other at both ends. "Crash course. So the world we live in is divided- no. No time." She pointed down, then at the lowest section of her circle. "Down there, is Dark realm. Dark beings, dark power, dark stuff there. This is where that jerk Ganondorf went to gain his power." She said. "Because he was a jerk and invaded us, they know they can do it too," She looked down, her flippancy fading away as sorrow creased her brow._

 _"I was wrong to destroy the Mirror of Twilight." She said softly. "By doing so, I alerted them. Now they are coming, and they have been preparing for five years to invade my homeland." She looked back to Link, eyes wide and desperate._

 _Her voice dropped to a whisper. "I had_ two weeks _." Reghan placed a hand on her shoulder, and she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Another boom, larger than the first, shook the ground. Her eyes opened and sharpened. "Twilight will fall. But the world of Light does not have to." She turned to Link, lightly brushing off Reghan's hand. She squared her shoulders and stood tall, eyes burning with resolve. Link met her eyes, seeing the strength in her. He remembered it well. Her narrow orange eyes gazed into his soul, all traces of uncertainty and fear gone._

 _"We will fight. Some of our people will evacuate with the remaining Sol." The stones shook under a huge impact, dust rising from the floor, sending Reghan and Midna to balance stances. Reghan drew his weapons, the curved scimitars gleaming, and stalked to move in front of Midna protectively. "Tell Princess Zelda that the first place they will strike is the Arbiter's Grounds, and that she must prepare a defense, personally." She paused, expression contemplative. She smiled again, "Tell her to send her best." Her eyes focusing on Link. "Will you do that for me?" Link's face, despite himself, split into a grin and he nodded._

 _The great doors at the far end of the hall dissolved into darkness with the roar of countless thunders. A shockwave of force slammed into Midna and Reghan, forcing them to brace against it. Reghan stepped in front of Midna, taking the brunt of the wind, armor gleaming in the light of the Sol. The wind slowed to nothing, and through the open doorway strode a figure. Blacker than night, no light seemed to even touch it. It had the form of a man, tall and powerful. Bald-headed, it had three sets of red eye-like slits running vertically down the front of its angular head. It walked with a slow, determined gait, with all the might and inevitability of a stormfront._

 _"_ _Ah, my dear Princess. I finally have the honor of making your acquaintance. You seem to be readying for combat, though your associates did not seem to want to speak to me of the reason."_ _The voice was confident and sonorous, seeming even to be genuinely pleasant. But even at this distance, Link could see what was in those eyes. A carefully controlled hate, for everything that was Light. He paused, tilting his head back. "_ _Why, you might ask? If I remember correctly, they were too busy… screaming."_ _An irrational feeling seized Link, something he had not felt in years, that wrenched at his heart and tore at his mind._

 _Fear._

 _Midna stepped forward, and spread her arms wide, her black cloak swirling around her. "I regret to inform you that I am not accepting an audience from subjects nor invaders. But it seems that you have removed my front door, so I suppose that discipline will have to be in order." Around her head, floating in a circle, appeared the three other Fused Shadows, the ancient stone faces shining with green and blue light. She looked to Link a last time._

 _"Don't worry about me. I've been practicing." She smiled her toothy grin, eyes sparkling. She was beautiful, and there was no fear in her. Her light had driven it away._

 _She turned away, the Fused Shadows settling on her shoulders, hiding her face. After a moment, nothing seemed to happen. Energy exploded from Midna, bright blue light illuminating the large chamber, gouts of azure mist obscuring Link's vision. Even though he had no need to, he covered his spiritual eyes, wincing against the light, watching as it drove the shadows back._

 _She stood again. Link's breath caught in his throat. Last time he had seen her use this power, she had barely known how to control it. She stood twelve feet tall, a gleaming avatar of an armored warrior surrounding her, the Fused Shadows a great curved spear in one hand, the pronged crown on her head radiating authority. All were covered with geometric patterns, pulsing with the power of the Twilight Princess. She had indeed been practicing. Reghan stood beside her, swords ready, diminutive beside his sister's power._

 _The dark being regarded her with interest. "So this is the power that was stolen from me, all those years ago." Midna raised the spear and charged, energy splashing with every footstep. The being raised his gauntleted hand and a sword appeared, a piece of black, almost purplish metal that radiated red light from runes along its slender length._

 _"LINK! Remember!" She shouted, voice a defiant, yet pleading cry. The vision was stretching around him, his view of the clash of red and blue energy shrinking with every second, and soon all was darkness once again._

 _"Remember!"_


	5. Chapter 5

Link woke with a start, blue eyes flashing open, gasping breaths as if he had been drowning. Beth shouted in surprise, jumping away before gasping with relief. Her large blue eyes were red from tears, but the lines of sorrow lessened as she smiled down at him.

"Oh, Link! We were so-, He's awake!" She called to others, and shouts of surprise and joy greeted her from outside the dwelling. He sat up, rubbing his head, then gasped, clutching his arm as spears of pain shot through them.

"Oh, careful! Even with the fairy, we couldn't heal your arms all the way." Beth said, gently pushing him back on the cot. He let himself be guided, examining the bare skin of his arms. They were unmarked, but he could feel the pain deep in his bones.

 _Midna. The Twilight._ He gasped in remembrance and shot back up just as Colin, Bo, and Sera rushed into the large bedroom, which Link recognized as belonging to Fado's ranch on the hill.

"Master!" Colin threw his arms around Link, holding him close. Link sighed in relief, ignoring the pain as he hugged the youth tightly before releasing him.

"By Ordon, lad, you don't look hardly banged up at all!" Bo stated, his thick eyebrows rising, as Sera enfolded Link into her expansive embrace.

"You had us worried sick!" She exclaimed. Link gasped for breath and, once released, thanked her with a nod. Link eyes went wide and he grasped for his signal necklace, the multi-colored beads slipping through his fingers as he found the right one.

Their expressions fell as Link held up the red bead. Colin bit his lip, and looked up at Bo, worry creasing his young features. The Mayor's face was a stone.

"Come, lad. Light knows you're strong enough. There's something you need to see." Link stood slowly, the blanket that been covering him falling away, and before he left the room, Beth reached out and touched his arm. Link looked down at her, mouth a firm line. Her eyes were wide with haunted memories.

"Please don't be too hard on him. He saved us." Link nodded, and placed his hand on hers. He tried to look strong, but inside his heart, fears grew.

…

"Talo will be all right. Couple of cracked ribs, but no internal injuries. He's a strong boy. Fado will take a bit to recover, his arm might not work the same again. And you know Rusl, he's right as rain. Ilia… she took a hard hit. You'll see."

Bo, Colin, and Link strode past the blackened wreckage of Beth's house, the once-green grass trampled into a mess of mud and blue blood. Evening was falling, and Jaggle and Rusl could be seen in the distance, piling the koblin corpses into a burning mound, the light illuminating them only as silhouettes. The column of smoke could probably be seen from the Field.

"We lost Haunch." Bo stated suddenly. Link's breath rushed away from him, and he tried to meet the Mayor's eyes, but Bo's gaze stayed fixed forward. Link's hand came to rest on the lined wooden bead that lay between two others, both pink. He took a shuddering breath, closing his eyes. Haunch had been a stingy old man, complaining about everything from the early winters to creaking floorboards, but he had always been good to his overbearing wife and daughter, doing more than his fair share of the work. Link shook his head. Beth's father was gone. _That_ was why she had looked so sorrowful.

Sera and Beth had stayed behind to tend to the wounded, and Colin and Bo were silent as they approached Ordon lake. Link's eyes narrowed as they passed over the two destroyed homes, the flattened pumpkin patches, and ashes floating on the lake. What had caused the koblins to become so violent? They had always been enemies to surface dwellers, but they had never been ambitious enough to be more than a nuisance.

They passed the corpse of the giant koblin, leaning over with its back to the valley wall. It bore many wounds, but there were three that stood out. There were two huge, straight gashes on its torso, and a single hole where it had been stabbed in the forehead. All three wounds were blackened and withering, as if struck by darkness itself.

As they approached the Lake's shore, Link could see two figures kneeling by the water. Bo stopped, and held Colin back. The blonde boy looked up at the large man.

"He's my friend, I-"

"No, lad, this is between Link and young Rone. You go comfort that young lady back there. I know she'd appreciate it." Colin's gaze moved between the road back to the ranch and to the figures by the darkening lake. He bit his lip, nodded to Bo, and headed back up the road. Link looked to Bo, and that large man shrugged his large shoulders. "I think…. I'll let him tell you. I'll be helping Rusl and them, if you need me. Oh, and congratulations on your engagement."

He rumbled away, and Link was left looking at the figures, sitting together in the darkness. He took a deep breath, and strode forward.

He sat next to Rone and Ilia on the gravel of the lakeside. Her uninjured arm was around the Gerudo boy, holding him as he gasped shuddering breaths. He looked to Link, and his golden eyes were wide with apprehension and fear. Link looked into that fear, shoved away his own, and smiled. Rone's fearful expression broke and he sagged against Link's chest, sobbing like a young child. Ilia silently let him go, and Link held him.

Link remembered. A young Gerudo, starved, beaten, and barely conscious, lying in the shadows of fallen boulders. A refugee, abandoned by his family to the mercy of a world that had hated him relentlessly.

 _"Stop waiting for me to cry! I'll never cry!"_ The fear, pain, and pride bleeding out of him, on that first night. Though diluted by kindness, the fear of that hate was still in him, and despite Link's best efforts, love was still a stranger to Rone.

He looked down at the boy's arm. There, encasing his forearm like a piece of rogue armor, was a gauntlet of purplish-black metal, spiked and shining in the low evening light. Runes, glowing softly with a crimson light, pulsed in lines along its length. They were the same runes covering the ships of Darkness.

Ilia met Links' eyes, and his gaze shifted slightly to the destruction around them. She nodded once. Soon enough, words began to emerge from Rone's mouth, forcing Link to lean in even closer.

"I'm… so sorry, Master. I thought I could control it. The hate, the dark, I… I wasn't strong enough. I thought you were dead. So I let it… destroy." He looked up, meeting Link's eyes. "It's still there. Laughing at me." He looked down at the gauntlet on his hand, and he clenched and unclenched his fist, stretching it away from him. "I can't take it off. It said it would help me, but…" He looked at the destruction around them, sorrow creasing his young face. Ilia's arm wrapped around him, and she and Link held him.

"You saved us, Rone. If you hadn't killed that monster, they would have kept coming, but you scared them away. Haunch's loss was not your fault." Ilia's other hand reached up and tenderly brushed the red hair out of his eyes. She did a good job of keeping the pain off her face, but Link saw it in her eyes. Her body was broken, yet she showed kindness through the pain. Light, she was beautiful.

"You are a Son of Ordon, never forget that. We'll always love you, Rone." She whispered. His sobs began to subside, and his breathing slowed and steadied. He gently extricated himself from their grasp, and Link let him go.

"Thank you, miss Ilia." His voice was soft, and while the confusion and despair were still there, he had once again buried it. Link gazed out across the lake, the dimness of twilight finally beginning to fall into night. Link touched Rone's shoulder. He looked up at him questioningly. Link pointed at the dark gauntlet, and then at a bead on his necklace made from pure gold.

"Queen Zelda?" Rone stated, confusion overcoming sadness as he stood with Link.

Ilia's face brightened. "Yes, she could definitely help!" Link nodded, then pointed at the ground, then hummed a sharp note.

"Leaving? Right now?" Ilia and Rone spoke at once, twin expressions of surprise on both. Rone's eyes widened, and he stated sharply, standing. "You think she can help me?"

Colin rushed over, panting with exertion. "I couldn't wait any longer. Rone!" He rushed to Link's side and took a long look at Rone. "You're ok now?" He nodded silently, and Colin threw his arms around his friend, taking the Gerudo by surprise. "Thank you for saving Tali. I don't _care_ how you did it."

Link gave a small smile. This was the reason he had stayed in Ordon, leaving behind the life of wandering and adventure he had gotten a taste of. He hadn't thought it possible, teaching others while under his oath. Rone's arms rose and he embraced Colin, shoulders lowering as the despair was further driven from him.

Ilia reached out to Link, and he took her good hand and raised her to her feet. She stumbled, and Link drew her close to keep her from falling, making sure not to cause her any more pain. A giggle escaped. Her emerald eyes were tired, but peaceful.

"Sorry, it's been kind of a long day…" She stated, voice cracking with exhaustion. He smiled but did nothing, just held her. Rone and Colin began talking to each other, relating Link's idea, but she was the only thing that held his attention. Ilia looked deep into his eyes. "Are you really leaving?" Link's smile faded, and he nodded. She continued, fingers brushing the golden bead on his necklace. "It's not just about Rone, is it. It's a lot bigger." It was not a question, but Link nodded gravely.

Her eyebrows drew together and she collapsed into his chest. "Must you always carry the weight of the _entire_ world on your shoulders…?" She pleaded, and he smiled wryly and held her close. It did seem that was his lot. Link wouldn't have minded even a week ago, but now… He brought up his hand, finger wrapped in a golden band, and Ilia lifted her own so their hands entwined. The rings shone together, dull in the fading light. The soft, almost unnoticeable mark of the Triforce shown on the back of his hand, the three triangles meeting at their corners.

She murmured against him, "Don't you dare not come back. Not after all this waiting. You promise?"

 _The being, wreathed in darkness, brandishing his glowing blade with perfect control and authority. Fear, unlike anything Link had ever encountered, gripping him, freezing him in place. Helpless._

He looked her in the eyes, and shook his head slowly. Her eyes filled with fear, and she moved to turn away. He reached up to take her hand again, making sure the ancient symbol faced her. He willed it to ignite, and golden light leaked from it, illuminating her face perfectly. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, visibly calming. "But you… always return, don't you?" He smiled and nodded. He leaned closer to kiss her. She let him, and they enjoyed those few seconds, deliverance from the blood-stained world around them.

Then he backed away, bowed to her, then shouted a wordless cry to his apprentices. Rone and Colin snapped to attention, Colin leaning slightly as he fought to keep his balance against his exhaustion. Link pointed at the ground, then off into the distance, punctuating his movement with a sharp _ha!_

"Yes, Master!" They bowed in unison, and broke into a run, Colin to his house at the edge of the village, and Rone back up the dirt road to Link's house on the rock. He watched them go, then nodded once to Ilia. She reached out, and he held her hand for a moment, and his eyes caught their rings. He was engaged. _Light_ , he, the Hero, was _engaged_. A strange giddiness filled him, and Ilia smiled knowingly and looked at him from under lowered lashes.

"I mean, it really would be a crying shame if you missed the wedding because you were saving the world, now wouldn't it?"

...

Rone stared at his hand in silence. Well, the world around him was silent. The world within him was another story. Without warning, he punched the wooden wall of Link's house, shaking the pictures hanging on the walls and leaving small indents where the bladed knuckles were.

"Hope Link doesn't see that." He murmured. He sat heavily on the bed Link had made for him and held his head in his hands, waiting for something, anything to happen. The longer he was still, the more active the voice became. Right now it was indecipherable, chanting to itself in a tongue that seemed chillingly familiar. It reminded him of battle cants that the adults in the refugee company had sung under their breaths whenever Hylians drove them away. And even earlier, the tunes that his father had hummed while sharpening his sword.

He stood up and paced back and forth. He was ready to go, bag packed and weapons readied. He had never taken his armor off. _Hope I get a wash soon. Don't want to meet the Queen herself smelling like this._

Suddenly he drew his sword, the length of Ordon steel flashing in the dim light. He practiced some forms, spinning and slashing in the open area of the first floor, as if the demon inside his head had materialized in the house and he was fighting it. He stopped, hardly out of breath, and looked at the sword in his fist. It felt unnatural in his grip. It was the gauntleted hand.

His sword hand would not let him feel comfortable with any other sword. He smirked darkly to himself.

 _Red, obscuring his vision until all he could see was enemies. The great sword in his hands, moving as if weightless as he cut down foes, finally facing the monster that had killed Link._

Rone sheathed the blade, and started pacing again as the voice intensified in volume. Link was in the basement, changing, and Colin-

"Oi! Rone!" _Speak of the human_. Grateful for any distraction, he grabbed his bag from the bed and grasped the handle of the door. Something stopped him from leaving.

He looked around the interior of the large house, lit by sparse candlelight. This was the only place he had ever considered a home. Link's desk, where books, journals, and fishing logs sat in orderly rows. The weapons racks, specifically the one he hadn't been allowed to touch for months. The pictures, drawn and painted by Ilia of the citizens of Ordon that decorated the walls. There was one near the bottom of Colin, Link, and himself, posing with wide smiles and arms around each other, their master sporting the light beard he had tried out for several months.

Rone walked over and gently removed the picture from the wall. Their features had been lovingly rendered by the mayor's daughter, and in his own painted eyes Rone saw joy there. He smiled to himself, the echoes and shouts of the darkness temporarily forgotten, and his shoulders sunk as he relaxed for the first time in hours.

"Ya comin' or what?" Colin's voice called. Rone's eyes darted to the window, and he placed the picture carefully inside his pack before rushing out the door.

 _Author's note- this is the last of my pre-written chapters, it will be slower going from here on out, though i hope quality stay up XD. Thank you for reading, and please leave reviews! Those are the biggest reasons i write fanfiction, to see what people think, and to get better at writing because of my fanfictions._


	6. Chapter 6

Link placed the green cap on his head, the triangular point hanging down to the top of his back. It fit snugly, as did the rest of the Hero's Garb. The tunic, the armor, even the boots seemed to have grown to fit him, and Link accepted that as a matter of course. Who was he to say that there wasn't some kind of magic on them? That there was magic in the belt was obvious, how else could he carry so many legendary items? He wasn't a Goron.

He shrugged the Hylian shield onto his back. It had served him well, and even now had no dents to mar its surface. He strapped the leather gauntlets to his hands, fingers poking out the ends for grip, the bracers on his forearms marked with their fair share of scrapes. He glanced into the mirror in the corner and did a double-take.

The Hero of Light stood there. The last time he had worn this armor… was when he had returned the Master Sword. After Midna had left him. He drew in a breath, then let it out slowly, touching the most recent addition to his communication necklace. A dark obsidian bead, ran through with a vein of emerald. He had never expected to use it. Seeing her had been… unexpected. Pleasant, yes, despite the circumstances, and Link hoped, _yearned_ , to see her again. Yes, he admitted to himself, he had loved her once.

But the Hero had moved on. He placed the simple band of gold over the glove on his left hand, the bright emerald shining even in the low light. Ilia was his betrothed, now.

Link carefully picked up a small jar of softly glowing insects, and placed it carefully in the saddlebags. He might not be able to see her himself, but he couldn't go to Castle Town without trying to deliver these small guests to Tabitha's ball. He had attended each annual celebration without fail, always to her delight. The memories of the strange young girl that loved insects brought a smile to Link's face. She was a young woman now.

Maybe he should send one of the boys, instead… The smile grew and Rusl's sword joined the shield on his back. He would see her again. Link shook his head, reached down and tossed the saddlebags over his shoulder, and climbed up the ladder. He passed through the main room of his house with barely a glance. There wasn't time to reminisce.

Outside, goodbyes were busy being said, illuminated by a few guttering torches. Most of the village was gathered to say goodbye, and Link was surprised to see Tali and Talo among the well-wishers. The small girl had her arms wrapped around Rone, the dark Gerudo having gone to one knee to embrace her in return. The bandage wrapping her blonde head did nothing to hide the tears running down her cheeks. Link leapt to the ground next to Colin and Talo.

"-and if you see my brother, whack him on the head for me. It's probably gotten even bigger since I saw him last, and he's always needed a bit of deflating." Talo was saying. Colin laughed and placed a hand on the large youth's shoulder carefully, avoiding the heavy splint that held his arm.

"No promises. He might set his goons on me-" Colin saw Link and his eyes went wide. Conversation faded to a reverent silence as Link walked towards the group. Rone stood, Tali holding to his hand, unafraid of the dark gauntlet she gripped. He wondered briefly why everyone was so quiet before realizing. He had always been Link to them, and even when he had been the Hero they had still treated him like a son and brother. But now he was leaving again, resplendent in the garb of the Hero of Light.

A frown came to Link's face. He hadn't been the one to save the village. If there was one thing he couldn't stand, it was people giving credit where it wasn't due.

There was only one thing for it. He took off the pointed green hat and stuffed it on Rone's head. Smiles came to faces, lighting eyes and bearing laughter. Rone's face reddened, and he let his hair fall in front of his face in embarrassment. It didn't save him from Beth's embrace, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, stifling his cries of alarm. The villagers of Ordon crowded around Rone to give thanks, and Link stood back, watching appreciatively.

Except one. Uli stepped up to Link, watching Colin thump his friend on the back before they were both engulfed in a hug from Bo. He turned to Uli, and saw the love and concern in her eyes that only a mother could have. "I tried to talk him out of going." Her voice was firm, but worry lay under her words like a fog. Link nodded, just watching her. "He wants to go, not for adventure, but for the only brother he's ever had." She looked up at him then, her clear blue eyes piercing him. "And his other father." Link's head lowered and he sighed, nodding.

"And I am happy for him, you know that. Colin's grown so much, because of you. But this… this is different." Uli shivered, sliding her short blonde hair behind an ear. "You did not see the power that Rone used. We love him, but by Ordona, it _scared_ me. It scared all of us. You do not speak, but you can answer. Will you make me a promise?"

Link looked away from her, to where Colin was kneeling next to his sister as she wove a red flower into his hair. He had given up protesting. Link nodded.

The words burst from her. "I know you will protect him, but do you promise to keep him from danger? I know all you are doing is going to Hyrule, but please, do not let him risk his life." Link stared silently at the blonde boy as he enfolded Tali in his arms. He nodded once, then looked to Uil with a grim smile.

She smiled uneasily back. "You'll try your best?" He nodded again. "That's good enough for me." Uli reached out and took his hand, smile becoming more certain. She gestured to the ring on his finger. "And congratulations. _I_ knew it was coming." He laughed and embraced her.

Link retrieved his cap from a beleaguered Rone and mounted Epona, who was waiting quietly at her post, but he could tell she was ready to be away. Rone mounted Cloud, a fiery gray mare that had belonged to Rusl, and trotted beside Link with a nervous smile. Colin jumped on Toil, the only goat in Ordon that let anybody ride him, and the shorter animal pulled up beside them as well, a wide grin on Colin's face.

"You're going to ride _him_ all the way to Castle Town?" Rone stated, incredulous.

"Of course! He'd get lonely if I didn't bring him, and you know we don't have any more horses! Don't you worry, Link, I've been training him so he'll keep up just fine." Link laughed and urged Epona to the small passage that led out of Ordon. He stopped suddenly.

Ilia stood there, waiting for him. The light breeze brushed through the trees, blowing her blonde hair behind her. The light from the flickering torches cast shadows across her face, obscuring her eyes. She reached up to stroke Epona's neck. "Bless you, loyal horse." She said quietly. "Guide your rider safely home." She looked up and took Link's hand, and the light of the fire sparked in her emerald eyes, and Link saw fear there. Her voice dropped to a whisper. "For he has something very important to return to." Link squeezed her hand reassuringly, and touched her bead on his neck. They shared a moment, then Link looked up at the assembled villagers. He let go of Ilia's hand and drew his sword. It glittered in the firelight, and the citizens of Ordon bowed in reverence.

With a shout Link brought it down, leveling it at the darkness of the woods. Epona leapt forward, followed closely by the two others, and the three warriors charged into the shadowed trees. The pounding of their hooves, along with Colin and Rone's excited cries, covered Link's single grunt of pain, one that struck straight at his heart. He clutched the bead on the necklace. He would see her again. He _would_.

…

Colin unbuckled the straps from off Toil's back, muttering peaceful words to the tired goat. They had ridden for hours at speed, and by his reckoning, they had only a couple hours more before they reached Castle Town. He set the bags on the ground and guided the goat to lay down next to the already-sleeping Epona, feeling the fatigue weighing on his bones. But Master Link was right. They needed rest, especially if they were really going to see the Queen tomorrow.

Even in his tired state, an excited smile grew. He was going to meet _Zelda_ , the Queen of Hyrule, the Light of Hylia! Colin had dreamed of this day for years, even before Link had taught him to swing a sword. She was said to be the most beautiful woman in the world, and… His smiled grew wry. _And she's what, ten years older than me?_ Shaking his head, he collapsed on the ground next to Link's lantern, across from where Rone had already fallen asleep. A boy could dream, right?

Besides, his cheek still tingled where Beth had kissed him. Red crept up his face again.

He looked down to Rone, and his smile faded. How could he be so happy when his friend was cursed? The piece of metal on Rone's arm was still there, a scar of darkness that had taken away his friend's joy. Colin's eyes narrowed, and he rolled out the long piece of fabric that passed for a bedroll. His friend had always been reserved to some degree, but now there was a darkness in his eyes that had not been there before. Rone's face twisted in his sleep, a wince at a pain that Colin could only guess at.

Footsteps announced Link's return. Colin did not look up from removing his boots, and Link sat down near him.

"Nothing going to kill us in our sleep?" He asked, semi-jokingly, and Link grunted a short laugh. They were entering Bublin territory, and while they weren't as much of problem in this area, Link thought it never hurt to be sure. A hand settled on Colin's shoulder, and he looked up at his master, puzzled. It was strange, seeing Link dressed like he had all those years ago, when he had taught Colin what strength really was. His eyes had been bright, then, even under the burden of curing the land of Light. But now… His blue eyes were haunted.

Link touched the red bead on his signal necklace, and pointed at the gauntlet on Rone's hand with a grunt. "What did it do to him?" Colin queried, and Link nodded. It had taken years to understand meanings in Link's simple communication, but it could be done, and Colin ran a hand through his hair, trying to figure how best to describe the events of only hours earlier. He sighed, placing his boots next to his sword in case they had to wake up quickly.

"After you got knocked out was when it really started." He sighed, placing elbows on his knees, fighting back the urge to shiver. "He killed a red koblin with only his hands, and then a large black sword just… _appeared_. His eyes started to glow red, and darkness surrounded him like a cloud, it was like …" Involuntarily, his arms wrapped around himself, and the fear that he had felt began to return. Colin looked up to Link. "He had forgotten who he was, Link." A shudder ran through him. "Rone looked at me, and he _didn't_ _recognize_ me."

Link silently put his arm around Colin's shoulder and drew him close. He gestured for him to continue, and Colin took a deep breath to calm himself. "He started carving his way through to the large one. Nothing stood in his way, it was like he was cutting the grass. He stopped the big one from killing you and Ilia just in time. He was so fast, the giant couldn't even touch him, and his blade couldn't be stopped by anything. Bo helped us regroup, but by then the smaller koblins were starting to run, and when Rone killed the large one, they completely broke and just fled." Colin stopped and stared at the light flickering in the lantern in the center of their makeshift campsite, the dancing flames trying to lull him to sleep. He shook himself, trying to stay alert.

"After they left, Rone was left kneeling on the ground, gasping like someone had punched him in the stomach. Ilia was the first to go see if he was all right." He hugged himself, a sudden chill gripping him. He looked to Link. "Do you really think that Zelda can help him?" Desperation crept into his voice. Link's arm retreated, and his blue eyes gazed into the heart of the lantern. He did not reply, but Colin knew from experience that only meant he was thinking.

Link reached up to rub his forehead, a long sigh escaping. "You don't know?" Colin asked, leaning forward in shock. Link's eyes narrowed and came to rest on Colin, who drew into himself in shame. Link's hand took the golden bead on the necklace and held it up, clenching it in his fist fervently. Colin nodded hastily. "Yes, master, I know if anyone can help Rone, she can. I didn't mean to-" Link cut him off with an impatient wave. "Yes, master." Colin bowed from his cross-legged position anxiously and moved to back away, but Link stopped him with a hand on his shoulder.

He gave a long sigh, and looked up at Colin. The sound held exhaustion in its depths, and the eyes held the strength and resolve that Colin knew to be courage. But there was something else, that Colin had never seen before in those fierce blue eyes.

Fear.

Link drew Colin close. He let himself be held, and Link took two bead from his necklace and held them up to him. One, made from a light wood, grain easily seen in the lantern light. And the other, carved from rock the color of dark crimson, reflecting light hardly visible. Link touched the beads to his forehead, then to Colin's.

Whatever was bothering the Hero, it went deeper than Colin could know. But in that moment, the respect and love he had for his mentor, his _brother_ , welled up within him. "I won't doubt again, Link. I promise." Being strong was more than being able to hold a sword. It was going through the fear.

Link's tired smile returned, and let him go. He nodded to the bedroll, and Colin nodded gratefully. He tucked himself into it, relished the relative comfort of the soft grass of the Field. But before his eyes closed, he caught a final glimpse of the Hero.

Face drawn, aged beyond his years, he gazed into a green bead.

And the fear had returned to his eyes.


End file.
